An Unkind Cut

A West Hartford official's decision to cut down 100 Osage orange trees after a falling fruit broke a motorist's windshield was, as Town Manager Barry M. Feldman acknowledged, "a colossal blunder." At least Mr. Feldman was quick to admit the mistake.

Now the town must make sure, as Mr. Feldman promised, that procedures are established to prevent a similar error somewhere else in West Hartford. Surely Mr. Feldman will want to know whenever someone in his administration seeks to remove a prominent stand of trees.

The offending Osage orange fell during a recent storm. The town's grounds manager, James Michalman, ordered that the trees be cut. He was understandably concerned about motorists' safety and the town's liability, but his hasty action raised obvious questions:

Why not prune? Mr. Michalman consulted an arborist who said the trees would not look proper if trimmed. They look better now? Mr. Michalman also figured that pruning would be only a temporary remedy. So prune again.

Why not post notices on every tree to be cut instead of just a few? Passersby might have realized the extent of the threat. The signs should be larger than postcards, too.

Why not check with the town's lawyer, Marjorie Wilder, to determine liability? She says the falling fruit was an "act of God" and the town was not responsible for damage.

Mr. Michalman, a faithful employee for 27 years, probably has suffered enough from citizens' outrage. His best hope is that the trees grow back quickly -- the five-foot stumps may yield new limbs and leaves -- and that the town replaces them if they don't. Otherwise, his folly may endure in the public's memory.